New York – Tech luminary John Borthwick, CEO of Betaworks, is set to join animator and software designer Pasquale D'Silva for an upcoming event titled "Quantum Portal," focusing on the "future of living memes." The virtual gathering, scheduled for Wednesday, September 3, at 6 PM ET, promises a unique exploration into the evolving landscape of digital culture and its future implications. The event will be live-streamed, with details available via a provided link.
The announcement, made by Pasquale D'Silva on social media, highlights a collaborative discussion that will also feature "sparkboinkboink, a magical talking dog," and D'Silva's co-founder, "Uncle Kevin." While Betaworks is renowned for its investments in and development of innovative internet companies, including early stakes in platforms like Tumblr and Giphy, this event appears to delve into a more speculative and creative aspect of digital interaction. Betaworks has a history of fostering new ideas and has recently closed a $66 million Fund III to invest in early-stage AI startups, emphasizing application-layer AI and new interfaces.
Pasquale D'Silva is known for his work in animation and software design, with a background in co-founding companies such as Keezy. His previous discussions have touched upon "meme engineering" and the impact of AI on creative endeavors, suggesting the "living memes" concept for this event will explore how digital content evolves and interacts in dynamic, perhaps AI-driven, ways. The inclusion of whimsical elements like a "magical talking dog" and the informal reference to "Uncle Kevin" hints at a presentation style that blends serious technological discussion with engaging, accessible narratives, a hallmark of D'Silva's approach to generating interest in new ideas.
The "Quantum Portal" event aligns with Betaworks' broader interest in the future of technology and human-computer interaction, particularly within the burgeoning field of AI and its application in consumer-facing products. The discussion is expected to shed light on how digital content, specifically memes, might transcend their current static or viral forms to become more interactive, dynamic, and potentially autonomous entities in the digital realm. The live stream format suggests an interactive experience, inviting a broad audience to engage with these forward-thinking concepts.